The term “withdrawal” related to drugs and alcohol is most often associated with heroin or other powerful opioid medications. The physical reactions that a person experience’s when they are unable to use a substance that causes physical dependency, such as heroin or fentanyl, or OxyContin. Withdrawal, or drug withdrawal syndrome or substance withdrawal syndrome, is the physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that occur upon the abrupt discontinuation or decrease in the intake of certain substances, which can be used medicinally or recreationally. As an example, if a regular user of heroin abruptly stops using heroin, they begin to have both physical and mental symptoms, such as hot and cold sweats, muscle aches, and anxiety. Almost all drugs and alcohol, when [...]

Many people make New Year’s resolutions. A resolution in the New Year can provide clarity for goals, create hope for positive change, set expectations for what someone wants for themselves in the future, can bring joy and make a person feel good, or can provide an important fresh start. For someone suffering in active addiction, who most likely has made numerous resolutions about finding sobriety but never a firm decision followed by vital action, making a New Year’s resolution to find recovery may feel overwhelming or even pointless.  However, finding sobriety as a New Year’s resolution makes a lot of sense, for all the reasons described above that resolutions are important as the year ends and a new one begins. [...]

When we think about addiction treatment and drug detox, most often we think in terms of a single drug or a person's “drug of choice”. But the reality is that most people grappling with a substance use disorder are using more than one substance when they enter detox.  This article from Innovo Detox takes a look at polysubstance abuse and the impact that combining different drugs and alcohol can have on the detox and recovery process.  What is Polysubstance Abuse and What Does it Look Like? Polysubstance abuse refers to the misuse of more than one drug or type of drug (including alcohol) within a certain period. The term is derived from the prefix "poly-" meaning "many”. The phenomenon of [...]

With Thanksgiving recently passing, currently celebrating Hanukkah, and Christmas and New Year’s quickly approaching, the holiday season is filled with excitement, joy, and promise of a festive few weeks and a new year to come. However, for many people, the holiday season can also be synonymous with excesses and indulgence, especially related to alcohol or drugs. Families also can feel stress during the holiday season, preparing to deal with a loved one’s addiction or alcoholism. Embracing a Sober Approach to the Holiday On a more positive note, in recent years there has been a growing movement towards embracing sobriety during the holidays, with trends like “Sober October” or “Dry January” getting popular, and more people seeking sobriety. This often is [...]

We are excited to announce the addition of Julie Vance, CRNP, to the Innovo Detox staff as a new Nurse Practitioner. Julie will join our medical team, consisting of Medical Director and psychiatrist Dr. Alok Saharan, M.D, Director of Nursing Leah Christman, RN, Nurse Practitioner Philip Walters, CRNP, and our nursing staff of registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in delivering the highest quality of comprehensive medical care for our patients in detox, extended medical stabilization, and addiction treatment. Julie was in school as a nursing student at Bowling Green State University and Ohio State University, before becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse. She then went on receive her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, graduating Cum Laude, from York [...]

Family praying holding hands at Thanksgiving table. Flat-lay of feasting peoples hands over Friendsgiving table with Autumn food, candles, roasted turkey and pumpkin pie over wooden table, top view During this time of Thanksgiving and the holiday season, it is always important to take some time to look at gratitude. Ironically, gratitude is not something that is often discussed or identified by individuals in active addiction, but it is almost always something shared by those that have found recovery. Find Gratitude from Addiction Seeking or finding gratitude while dealing with addiction can be challenging. People in active addiction typically look at the negative, seeing themselves as victims of unfair circumstances or feeling that life isn’t fair. However, finding [...]

Most people think of only the medical portion of a drug and alcohol detox. An individual suffering from addiction or substance use disorder will often look at detox as the process of getting through withdrawal symptoms and becoming physically free of substances, and therefore will admit into a drug and alcohol detox facility for the medical care, support, and necessary detox medications. Why Counseling and Therapy After a Detox is Vital for Patients There is no question that 24/7 medical care and support from doctors and nurses is key to creating a safe, supportive, comfortable environment in order to detox from drugs and alcohol, and having medical supervision to administer medications absolutely aids in a safer, more comfortable environment. However, [...]